Musician, lawyer, and senatorial candidate Jimmy Bondoc stood by his previous comments regarding ABS-CBN’s shutdown, asserting that his statements came from “a place of truth, not hatred.”
Bondoc addressed the issue during his appearance at ABS-CBN’s Harapan 2025, where he also praised the network’s entertainment arm for its excellence.
“Alam nyo, nung pumasok ako kanina dyan sa ABS, naalala ko, nung nag-ASAP ako… I have fond memories. And I really believe that ABS-CBN entertainment is still the best. It’s the best in the world. Ang galing. Kailangan po yun ang pangalagaan,” Bondoc shared during the forum.
Bondoc, who sparked controversy in 2019 with his social media post saying, “I am eagerly awaiting your demise,” clarified his stance, explaining that he wished for ABS-CBN to confront the accusations raised during the congressional hearings in 2020.
“Ang pinakamaganda talaga dyan ay harapin po nung network na ginagawa naman nila. Harapin sa tamang forum… makita na kung saan inosente ang ABS sa mga pinaratang sa kanila, kung saan sila baka sakali lang guilty. Para matapos na, and then we can move on to the franchise issue,” he said.
Despite the backlash from his 2019 statement, Bondoc noted that he was relieved to see ABS-CBN workers recovering from the network’s shutdown.
“Nung nagsalita akong ganon, that comes from a place of truth, hindi hatred. And right now, I’m glad to hear na ang dami ng naka-rebound na mga workers from ABS-CBN,” he emphasized.
The House of Representatives denied ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal in July 2020, following several hearings where the network was accused of tax violations and breaches of ownership laws. However, government agencies such as the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) later cleared the network of these allegations.
Albay 2nd District Representative Joey Salceda recently filed House Bill 11252, seeking to grant ABS-CBN a new 25-year franchise. Salceda noted in his explanatory note that government bodies confirmed ABS-CBN had no pending tax liabilities and did not violate foreign ownership rules.
Bondoc acknowledged that the decision to grant the franchise lies with Congress, stating, “Well, it’s not up to me. It’s a congressional prerogative… It’s not like a contract. So kung yun ang gusto ng Congress ngayon, mabuti. Ang wish ko ay… dinggin ng parehong side, ng Congress, pati ng ABS, yung totoong mga hinaing ng workers, ng labor sector, pati ng BIR… for the peace of the country.”
Bondoc’s controversial 2019 statement and his subsequent remarks celebrating Congress’s refusal to deliberate on ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal drew widespread criticism. Despite this, Bondoc maintains that his comments were made in good faith and not out of spite.
The artist is best known for OPM hits ‘Let Me Be the One’ and ‘Hanggang Dito Na Lang.’ Beyond his music career, Bondoc served as vice president for community relations at PAGCOR and has been a vocal advocate for various political causes, including Rodrigo Duterte’s presidential bid in 2016.
